The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-11-19


alternate stripes of blue and white, wearing
costumes like crazy quilt rainbow. Ihey
have abandoned the occupation OF taking the
white mans scalp, and turned their efforts to
acquiring the white mans money by the sale
of polished buffalo horns and other curiosltles.
They are thrifty hargainers, and drive brisk
trade with the tourists who pass to and fro
over the line.
From Maple creek. three stations below, to
Sccrctan. n distance of POI miles, the country
is alive with wild fowl. Ducks, gfse, pelicans,
snipe and curicv' arecncOuntered IN every lake,
pond and pool Of water, and afford the paSsen-
gers plenty of sport. at no cost to themselves,
in Popping AT thCm with revOlyers. The Hooks
of curlcw that were encountered darkened the
shores Of the lakes. and although the present
is the breeding season, and most of the birds
are Ra.ivating further to the North. hunter
would have here all the sport he conld wish
for. From Swift Current to Sccretan, some
seventy miles We essaTed the locomotive 3
pilot again. and enjoyed until dark the sensa-
ton of whiring over the broad prairie under
the blazing sky of brilliant sunset. 1t was
very amusing to watch the antics of the goph-
ers and prairie dogs which build their nests
in the earth throughout the whole region, and
even burrow in vast numbers between the ties OF
the road itself. To these creatures the locomO-
tive and the strange creatures upon 1t, SEEM
ed to afford constant surprise and fascina-
%
upon their hind legs until the cow-catcher
almost touched them. and then, evil
IDENTIFY satisfied that the day of judgment was
at hand, would dive into their holes with
Imaginable precipitation. Occasionally one,
trusting vainly III his powers of foot, would
turn tail and scuttle down the track with
great rapidity. only to DC caught up with
almost Immediately and overrun by the roar
ing train. They were thick as mice in gran
arv. and the whole track was alive with them.
jumping over the rails, diving into the earth,
running in every direction. to escape what must
have appeared to them most appalling mon.
ster. All night and another day We Travelled
before we came to Winnipeg, through a most
rich and fertile country, already densely popu-
lated in places. and capable of supporting an
immense number of inhabitants. From Win
aipeg TO Port Arthur ride of about eighteen
hours more is necessary, when we strike the
rugged and picturesque shores of Lake Supe-
nor. and thence travel on through the rich
Province of Ontario, and on the morning OF
the sixth day arrive at Montreal.
/ The journey from Winnipeg is quite as well
worth describing as that whose incidents
have already briefly noted down, but time per.
mits no detailed account OF it. In general,
and in closing. it may be said that no railroad
in the world presents such variety, beauty and
grandeur of scenery as that OF the Canadian
Pacific. have crossed the continent three
Judgment. and may say that whether we look
to Ontario and Manitoba for richness of sol
/ and peaceful and prosperous homes of men; tC
Lake Superior for raGgedness of shore, beauty
of expailse of water, or wealth of mine and
quarry; to AsSiniboia and Alberta for impress
sive stretch Of prairie and wild life Of man
bird and beast. or to the Rocky, SelkiSk and
Cascade mountains for sublimity and awful
ness of precipice, peak and crag-we shall
find them all as they nowhere else exist, ever
in America, the land of all lands for natura
resources and wonders. No more delightful
trip can be imagined than that by the Cana
dian Pacific Railway during the months Of
summer. For ourselves, undl near Montreal
we found neither heat nor dust, and arrived a,
our journeys end with little feeling Of fatigue
One point is especially worthy of remark
indeed two. but one above all the
rest. That is. the superior methods OF
provisioning the line. a thing in marked con
trast to some roads which | could mention,
where travellers are sure TO be fed irregularly
and wretchedly at the eating houses by the
way, and. in consequence of delays, often are
unable to secure any provision at all for eight
or ten hours. The Canadian Pacific runs din
ing cars over all its line. except through the
mountains, and there the eating houses fur
IRISH a most excellent meal at moderate cost
In the dining cars (Which are put on in relays
at certain fixed points, meals are served ex-
actly on time from day 70 day, and even in the
widest regions the passenger may be sure OF
dining, suppinG, or breakfasting as well and
as cheaply as at any tirst-class hotel. The
second point upon which comment is permissi
BILE is the invariable courtesy of all the rail
WAYS servants: myself am rlnch indebted tC
engineers, conductors. and division Officials
for facilities in seeing ard learning about thu
country over which we travelled. Wonderful
in its construction, the road is equally admir-
able for the spirit and carefulness with which
itisrun.-SIDNEY DICKINsoSin Boston Journal